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137
The matters, however, dealt with in the Bill, having received
considerable attention from the Housing of the Working Classes
Committee of the London County Council, and it being felt by
that body that it would be possible to make Torrens's Acts more
workable, they sought an interview with the Home Secretary (Mr.
Matthews), with the result that an amending Bill (Housing of
the Working Classes (Amendment) ) was introduced to give effect
to certain suggestions made by the Committee and others.
In moving the second reading of this Bill, Mr. Ritchie
admitted that the law on the subject was complicated; that
procedure under the existing Acts should be simplified; and
that the machinery had the effect of enormously delaying any
action with regard to unhealthy dwellings; providing, moreover,
a loophole for the escape of owners of such property. It could
not, therefore, be wondered at, that the Acts were to a large
extent inoperative. The Amendment Bill, he said, proposed a
much simpler mode of procedure, and assumed that the owner
was wholly responsible; so that if a house was declared to be
injurious to health, the owner was bound to find out himself what
was to be done, and to do it within a limited time. If the
repairs were not undertaken within this limited time, the house
might be demolished. He referred to complaints (well or illfounded)
that had been made of the unwillingness of Vestries
and District Boards to put in force the law with regard to insanitary
dwellings. Every district, he said, was interested in
the health of every other district, and the Central Authority
ought, therefore, to have the power to act, if they were satisfied
that the Local Authorities were neglecting their duty. Therefore,
when it was shewn to the London County Council that Local
Authorities were neglecting to deal with unhealthy areas within
their localities, the Council would have power to take over their
duties—a power which had been asked for by the Council, for
good and sufficient reasons, as he thought. The Bill would cut
down to a minimum the money payable as compensation to owners
who grossly neglected their duty in regard to their property, and
he for one would have no mercy on owners who allowed their